PLANS FOR AFRICAN TOUR

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5300, 13 January 1947, Page 3

PLANS FOR AFRICAN TOUR

feOYAL FAMILY PREPARATIONS Lbttdan With only tw6 nibnthS belcir6 they leave for South Afirica, Kirig George VI, Queen Elizalbethi atid Margaret Rose are all kusy witk final preparations for their 3J months' tour of the Union. For the King, the details of the itinerary, decisions on where important speeches shall be made questions lof co|stitutional procedure both in South Africa and back in Engiand during his absence are the most important consideratio-ns. For the Queen, the queBtion that looms largest is that of her wardrobs and her daughers' clothes, while for the Princesses everything cmmected with ' the tour from their Afrikaans lessons to the big-scale maps of the Union which they study daily, is of absorbing interest. Mr. A. P. van der Post, Senior Trade Commissioner for SouthAfrica, who is teaching the Princesses Afrikaans is delighted with their progress. The King and Queen also are having a few lessons in the language vso they will be able at least to say a sentence o-f two in the second official language of South Africa, tliough there is not time for them to make a complete study of Afrikaans. The King has made a point during many months past of meeting and talking to every distinguished South African visiting Britain, as well as prominent Britons, who have ret.urned from there .Sir Evelyn Baring, High Commissioner, and his wife, for example, were luncheon guests at • the Palace recently. Four London dressmakers have been given the task of dressing the Queen and the Princesses. Details of the clothes are being kept secret until after the royal party has arrivcd at Capetown, so that copies of hem shall not flood the market in advance. Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Ti'ade, consulted with Cabinet colleagues over the question of special clothing coupc-n alIowances for the journcy. After consultation with the South African Government and in view of the farrcaching importance of thc tour and its certain effects of spreading British fashic-ns throughout Africa, the Cabinet agreed that special allocation of coupons should be made. The King will wear uniform throughout the voyage in Britain's big battleship Vanguard, and he also will wear uniform on ceremcnial occasions such as the first royal opening of the Union Parliament. For the rest, the Kii^g is taking lightweight semi-tropical clothing. Princess Elizabeth has not decided finally whether to take her pet dog, Crackers, with her or not and Princess Margaret Rose will follow her sister's Iead in this. If the Princesses take their dogs, the dogs will have to go into quarantine on their return. Maj. Mic.kael Adean, Assistant Private Secretary to the King, who will accompany the party has just returned to LondoVr after a visit by air to South Africa during which he went over almo-st the whole of the royal itinerary, checking on various points.